Hand sanitizing aqueous ozone spray chamber

ABSTRACT

An illustrative aqueous ozone sanitizing system for body part, tissue, and instrument sanitizing, including hand rinsing and sanitizing includes a sanitizing chamber, spray devices configured to simultaneously irrigate the entire left and right hand of a user, at least two aqueous ozone generators each fluidly coupled to a subset of the spray devices, and a housing for the sanitizing chamber having an opening for guiding the user&#39;s hand orientation and position into the sanitizing chamber.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a nonprovisional patent application of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 63/056,299, filed Jul. 24, 2020, and titled AqueousOzone Sanitizing System; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.63/056,538, filed Jul. 24, 2020, and titled Ozone Generator Cartridgefor Ozonating Water; each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a system for sanitizing with aqueousozone, and particularly, to the generation and delivery of aqueous ozonein sanitizing devices, including hand sanitizing devices.

Personal hygiene has long been an essential component of infectionprevention, particularly hand hygiene. Subsequent to the implementationof soap as an initial hand hygiene solution, many modalities have beendeveloped to maximize antimicrobial efficacy and improve hand hygienecompliance while minimizing skin irritation. However, there has beenlittle regulation of these products until 2017, when the FDA issued alandmark ruling deeming 24 ingredients unsuitable for use in healthcaresolutions. The ruling resulted in one solution, triclosan, being pulledfrom the market for its well-documented role in causing antimicrobialresistance, and deferred ruling on several others, calling for moresafety and efficacy data.

Traditional soap, alcohol, chlorhexidine gluconate, povidone iodine, andbenzalkonium chloride have all been widely used in healthcare as handhygiene solutions, with differing levels of efficacy and risk. A reviewof literature discussing conclusions from many studies makes clear thatthere is conflicting evidence about the effectiveness of each product.Efficacy as an outcome variable can be assessed in many ways, making itdifficult to compare and synthesize outcomes across studies. Researchersreport different primary outcomes (colony-forming unit counts vs.infection rates) and use a variety of experimental designs (in vitro, invivo, artificial contamination, observational, etc.). Additionally,efficacy often depends on the specific virus or bacterium, the length oftime spent cleaning, and the cleaning technique (rubbing, scrubbing,etc.). Another factor that impacts efficacy is acquired self-resistance.

Although consensus about efficacy can be difficult, the collectiveevidence indicates that microbes can generate resistance to some handhygiene solutions, and some of these solutions may even fostercross-resistance to other antibiotics. Additionally, skin damage orirritation from repeated use is a concern for many hand hygienesolutions. The limited existing evidence demonstrates a need for afuture hand hygiene solution that is broadly effective against bacteriaand viruses, while also avoiding both skin damage and bacterialresistance.

Ozone (O₃) is known to be a highly effective disinfectant. Ozone isproduced when water (H₂O) or oxygen (O₂) is energized, producingmonatomic (O₁) molecules that collide with oxygen (O₂) molecules to formozone (O₃). The third oxygen atom in ozone is loosely bonded and istherefore highly reactive and readily attaches to and oxidizes othermolecules. When used to sanitize, exposure to ozone has beendemonstrated to be very effective at killing microorganisms, includingbacteria, viruses, and spores.

Aqueous ozone, a solution of water (H₂O) and ozone (O₃), has also beendemonstrated to be effective at sanitizing, i.e., killingmicroorganisms, when applied at a sufficient combination of ozoneconcentration and exposure time. Example applications for sanitizingusing aqueous ozone include hand sanitizing in place of a soap or otherdisinfectant wash, the clinical treatment of infected tissue, sanitizingfood, and sanitizing medical, food processing, and other instruments andwork surfaces.

A concern noted regarding the use of ozone for hand and other tissuesanitizing is the potential adverse effect to human or animal cells ifapplied at too high of an ozone concentration or for an exposure that istoo prolonged, e.g., the ‘dosage.’ It is known that very high doses ofozone can cause lung and other tissue damage. On the other hand, mild tomoderate oxidative cell stress caused by low doses of ozone appears tobe suggest a therapeutic effect that benefits and aids tissue healing.While it remains unclear how high a level of exposure would lead tounintended cellular damage or clinically relevant skin pathologies,safety warrants using only the ozone dosage required to achieve thedesired logarithmic level of reduction of the targeted microorganisms,which is also expected to be also proven to be of little risk and likelytherapeutic benefit to human tissue.

Many prior art systems provide aqueous ozone by generating ozone gasfrom air, which has lower concentrations of oxygen molecules than water,or from liquid oxygen, which is expensive and difficult to handlelogistically and in the process. Further, once gaseous ozone isproduced, it must be uniformly distributed and dissolve, which isdifficult and inefficient, requiring a number of controlled processsteps and often producing excess ozone off-gas and non-uniformdistribution of dissolved ozone in the water stream. For the smallerscale of a device or other appliance, for example, for a single user,gaseous generation and mixing effective and efficient for an industrialor municipal scale is not practically applied from a cost,technological, or effectiveness perspective.

In light of the need for improved hand hygiene and other sanitizingsolutions providing a well-regulated dosage, a high level of assurancemust be incorporated into generating and delivering the desired level ofaqueous ozone concentration level, complete area coverage, and thedesired exposure time effective at killing targeted microorganisms whilenot inducing undue oxidative stress to the hands (dermis cells) or othertissues being sanitized.

The present disclosure is a result of the recognition of and response tothis need for improved generation and delivery systems for aqueous ozonesanitizing, particularly for hand sanitizing.

SUMMARY

The present invention may comprise one or more of the features recitedin the attached claims, and/or one or more of the following features andcombinations thereof.

An illustrative aqueous ozone sanitizing system for body part, tissue,and instrument sanitizing, including hand rinsing and sanitizingincludes a sanitizing chamber, spray devices configured tosimultaneously irrigate the entire left and right hand of a user, atleast two aqueous ozone generators each fluidly coupled to a subset ofthe spray devices, and a housing for the sanitizing chamber having anopening for guiding the user's hand orientation and position into thesanitizing chamber.

Embodiments according to the present disclosure advantageous produceaqueous ozone directly by electrolytic action within a water stream,thereby cost and process efficiently and effectively producing uniformlydissolved ozone in water (aqueous ozone) with minimal off-gassing. Theembodiments further produce and deliver the aqueous ozone in a smallcompact space, minimizing ozone decay in application, and maximizing therinsing and sanitizing effects of both chemical and mechanical actionwith a high surface area provided by small uniform particles of aqueousozone with a high spin rate, applied by direct irrigation to the entiresurface of the hands, efficiently loosening and lessening the microbeload.

While not limited to this application and concentration or kill rate,embodiments disclosed herein may be used to sanitize a user's hands witha 0.8 ppm concentration of aqueous ozone at a flowrate of about 3.0gallons per minute for a duration of 7 seconds, which has demonstratedwith the illustrative embodiment to have a antimicrobial effect ofproviding at least a minimum of a 3 log reduction in the broad spectrumof microorganisms that typical sanitization systems kill (for example,Tentative Final Monograph (TFM) 24), including for example,Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). Additionally, embodiments disclosedherein can provide up to a 4.0 ppm concentration of aqueous ozone overdifferent periods of time and different flowrates to meet the needs ofvarious applications and uses. In some embodiments the sanitizer may beconfigured and used to operate as a wellness rinse without specifichealthcare or medical disinfection performance criteria standards orapprovals, and in other embodiments the sanitizer may be configured andused to operate as a medical device in a healthcare environment,including for example, for treatment and/or sterilization, withappropriate governmental and/or industry approvals and performancecriteria standards, including, for example, with other body parts,tissue, or objects, including instruments.

An illustrative embodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizer, comprises asanitizing chamber for dispensing aqueous ozone onto a user's hands; aleft plurality of spray devices coupled to the sanitizing chamberconfigured to simultaneously irrigate a user's entire left handpositioned within a left spray zone of the chamber, the left pluralityof spray devices including at least a first left-upper spray devicelocated above the left spray zone and at least a first left-lower spraydevice located below the left spray zone; a right plurality of spraydevices coupled to the sanitizing chamber configured to simultaneouslyirrigate a user's entire right hand positioned within a right spray zoneof the chamber, the right plurality of spray devices including at leasta first right-upper spray device located above the right spray zone andat least a first right-lower spray device located below the right sprayzone; at least a first and a second aqueous ozone generator coupled tothe sanitizing chamber; and wherein: a first subset of the leftplurality of spray devices and the right plurality of spray devices arefluidly couple to the first aqueous ozone generator; a second subset ofthe left plurality of spray devices and the right plurality of spraydevices are fluidly couple to the second aqueous ozone generator; andwhereby the position of the first and the second aqueous ozonegenerators relative to the left and right plurality of spray devices anda selection of the first subset and the second subset minimizes thedistance between each of the left and the right plurality of spraydevices and the one of the first and the second aqueous ozone generatorsto which it is fluidly coupled, thereby minimizing a depletion of ozoneconcentration between the first and the second aqueous ozone generatorsand the left and the right plurality of spray devices.

Additionally, or alternatively, in any subcombination, wherein: thefirst aqueous ozone generator is positioned adjacent the left pluralityof spray devices; the first subset includes all the left plurality ofspray devices; the second aqueous ozone generator is positioned adjacentthe right plurality of spray devices; and the second subset includes allthe right plurality of spray devices; wherein: the first aqueous ozonegenerator is positioned adjacent first left-upper spray device and thefirst right-upper spray device; the first subset includes the firstleft-upper spray device and the first right-upper spray device; thesecond aqueous ozone generator is located adjacent first left-lowerspray device and the first right-lower spray device; and and the secondsubset includes the first left-lower spray device and the firstright-lower spray device.

Additionally, or alternatively, in any subcombination, furthercomprising: a housing for the sanitizing chamber defining at least oneopening to receive the user's left and right hands; and wherein thehousing defines at least one of a horizontal marking feature and avertical marking feature for each of the user's left and right hands,thereby providing a guide to instruct an insertion point of the user'sleft and right hands through the at least one opening and into thecorresponding ones of the left and the right spray zones; furthercomprising: a housing for the sanitizing chamber defining a pair ofopenings to receive each of the user's left and right hands, each of thepair of openings defining an opening vertical span and an openinghorizontal span; and wherein the opening vertical span is greater thanthe opening horizontal span, thereby instructing and guiding the user'shands into a vertical orientation upon insertion through each of theopenings; wherein the ratio of the opening horizontal span to theopening vertical span is less than 3:4; wherein the ratio of the openinghorizontal span to the opening vertical span is about 2:3; wherein theratio of the opening horizontal span to the opening vertical span isless than 2:3; wherein the sanitizing chamber housing further defines achannel connecting the pair of openings, the channel defining a channelvertical span smaller than the opening vertical span; wherein the ratioof the channel vertical span to the opening vertical span is less than3:4; wherein the ratio of the channel vertical span to the openingvertical span is about 2:3; wherein the ratio of the channel verticalspan to the opening vertical span is less than 2:3;

Additionally, or alternatively, in any subcombination, wherein the leftplurality of spray devices further includes a second left-upper spraydevice and a second left-lower spray device; and a right plurality ofspray devices further includes a second right-upper spray device and asecond left-lower spray device; wherein the left spray zone is definedby a bounded area of irrigated space provided by the positions,orientations, and overlapping spray patterns of the left plurality ofspray devices; and the right spray zone is defined by a bounded area ofirrigated space provided by positions, orientations, and overlappingspray patterns of the right plurality of spray device; wherein thepositions, orientations, and overlapping spray patterns of the leftplurality of spray devices provide simultaneously irrigation of theentire left hand of the user when oriented with the user's left palmfacing the user's right hand; and the positions, orientations, andoverlapping spray patterns of the right plurality of spray devicesprovide simultaneously irrigation of the entire right hand of the userwhen oriented with the user's right palm facing the user's left hand;wherein each of the left and right spray zone encompasses less than 320cubic inches; wherein each of the left and right spray zones spanbetween about 3.5 to about 4.5 inches along an anterior-posterior axis,span about 8 inches along an lateral-medial axis, and span about 10inches along a proximal-distal axis; wherein each of the left and rightspray zones define a proximal-distal axis that is oriented to about 15degrees sloped downwardly in a direction extending from the pair ofopenings into the sanitizing chamber; wherein each of the left and rightspray zones define a lateral-medial axis that is oriented to betweenabout 10 degrees and 25 degrees sloped outwardly in a directionextending from the bottom toward the top of sanitizing chamber; whereina displacement in angular alignment of a central axis of spray betweeneach of the first upper-right spray device and the second upper-rightspray device is between 30 degrees to 50 degrees about each of ananterior-posterior axis and about a proximal-distal axis; wherein adifference in angular alignment of a central axis of spray between eachof the first lower-right spray device and the second lower-right spraydevice is between 0 degrees to 10 degrees about each of ananterior-posterior axis and about a proximal-distal axis; wherein eachof the left and each of the right plurality of spray devices each defineat least one fluidic oscillator providing a spray pattern for each spraydevice spanning about 16 degrees about a first axis and spanning about32 degrees about a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis.

An alternative embodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizer, comprises:sanitizing chamber for dispensing aqueous ozone onto a user's hands; aleft plurality of spray devices coupled to the sanitizing chamber andlocated and oriented to simultaneously irrigate a user's entire lefthand positioned within a left spray zone of the chamber, the leftplurality of spray devices; a right plurality of spray devices coupledto the sanitizing chamber and located and oriented to simultaneouslyirrigate a user's entire right hand positioned within a right spray zoneof the chamber; a first aqueous ozone generator located adjacent to andfluidly coupled to the left plurality of spray devices; a second aqueousozone generator located adjacent to and fluidly coupled to the rightplurality of spray devices; and whereby the position of the first andthe second aqueous ozone generators relative to the left and rightplurality of spray devices minimizes a depletion of ozone concentrationbetween the first and the second aqueous ozone generators and the leftand the right plurality of spray devices.

Additionally or alternatively, in any subcombination, wherein: a firstspray device of the left plurality of spray devices is positionedlaterally of the left hand and is further positioned and oriented toirrigate a dorsal side of a metacarpal region and phalangeal region ofthe left hand; a second spray device of the left plurality of spraydevices is positioned laterally of the left hand and is furtherpositioned and oriented to irrigate a dorsal side of a phalangeal regionof the left hand; a third spray device of the left plurality of spraydevices is positioned medially of the left hand and is furtherpositioned and oriented to irrigate an anterior side of the carpusregion and the metacarpal region of the left hand; and a fourth spraydevice of the left plurality of spray devices is positioned medially ofthe left hand and is further positioned and oriented to irrigate ananterior side of the phalangeal region of the left hand; wherein thefourth spray device of the left plurality of spray devices is furtherposition and oriented to also irrigate an anterior side of themetacarpal region of the left hand; wherein: the first spray device ofthe left plurality of spray devices is further position and oriented toalso irrigate an anterior side of at least one of the metacarpal regionand the phalangeal region of the left hand; the third spray device ofthe left plurality of spray devices is further position and oriented toalso irrigate a dorsal side of at least one of the carpus region and themetacarpal region of the left hand; and the fourth spray device of theleft plurality of spray devices is further position and oriented to alsoirrigate a dorsal side of at least one of the phalangeal region of theleft hand; wherein the fourth spray device of the left plurality ofspray devices is further position and oriented to also irrigate themetacarpal region of the left hand; wherein the left plurality of spraydevices further comprises a fifth spray device positioned laterally ofthe left hand and further positioned and oriented to irrigate ananterior side of the carpus region and the metacarpal region of the lefthand.

For purposes of this disclosure, including the claims, the term ‘about’is defined as within a definite range of +/−10% of the referenced value.Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon consideration of the following detaileddescription of the illustrative embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying Figs.in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective assembly view of a first illustrativeembodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizing system according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a perspective assembly view of a second illustrativeembodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizing system according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a user point of view of the illustrative embodiments of FIGS.1A and 1B;

FIG. 3A is front perspective view the aqueous ozone sanitizing system ofFIG. 1A;

FIG. 3B is rear perspective view the aqueous ozone sanitizing system ofFIG. 1A;

FIG. 4 is an electrical and fluid schematic block diagram of anillustrative embodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizing system accordingto the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective assembly view of the aqueous ozonesanitizing system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6A is an exploded perspective view of a hood portion of the aqueousozone sanitizing system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6B is an exploded perspective view of a hood portion and lowerframe portion of the aqueous ozone sanitizing system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6C is a front view of a front hood cover portion illustrating thehand openings of the aqueous ozone sanitizing system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 7A is a front view illustrating the aqueous ozone spray patterns ofa first illustrative embodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizing systemaccording to the present disclosure;

FIG. 7B is a left side view illustrating the aqueous ozone spraypatterns of the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7C is a front view illustrating the aqueous ozone spray patterns ofa second illustrative embodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizing systemaccording to the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective assembly view showing the spraychamber portion of the illustrative embodiment of the aqueous ozonesanitizing system of FIGS. 3A and 3B taken along cutting plane line 8-8shown in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the upper portionof the spray chamber of the illustrative embodiment of the aqueous ozonesanitizing system of FIGS. 3A and 3B taken along cutting plane line9A-9A shown in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the lower portionof the spray chamber of the illustrative embodiment of the aqueous ozonesanitizing system of FIGS. 3A and 3B taken along cutting plane line9B-9B shown in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional bottom view showing the upper portion ofthe spray chamber of the illustrative embodiment of the aqueous ozonesanitizing system of FIGS. 3A and 3B taken along cutting plane line9A-9A shown in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional top view showing the lower portion of thespray chamber of the illustrative embodiment of the aqueous ozonesanitizing system of FIGS. 3A and 3B taken along cutting plane line9B-9B shown in FIG. 3B;

FIGS. 11A and 12A illustrate spray zones and spray devices in a frontview of a spray chamber portion of an illustrative embodiment of anaqueous ozone sanitizing system according to the present disclosure;

FIGS. 11B and 12B illustrate spray zones and spray devices in a rightside view of a spray chamber of the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 11Aand 12A;

FIGS. 11C and 12C illustrate spray zones and spray devices in a rearview of a spray chamber of the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 11A and12A;

FIG. 13 illustrates plugging and unplugging of an aqueous ozonegenerator of the illustrative embodiment with a docking station of theaqueous ozone sanitizing device of FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 14A illustrates a docking receptacle portion of an illustrativeembodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizing device with a lockingmechanism for the aqueous ozone generator according to the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 14B illustrates an illustrative embodiment of the aqueous ozonegenerator with a locking mechanism for engaging the docking receptacleaccording to the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 illustrates an exploded view of the aqueous ozone generator ofFIG. 13;

FIG. 16 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a manifold portion of theaqueous ozone generator of FIG. 15 taken along cutting plane line 16-16shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 illustrates an electrical schematic block diagram of anillustrative embodiment of an aqueous ozone sanitizing system accordingto the present disclosure; and

FIG. 18 shows an illustrative process for the operation of theillustrative embodiments of FIGS. 1A-B, 4, and 17.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of promoting and understanding the principals of theinvention, reference will now be made to one or more illustrativeembodiments shown in the drawings and specific language will be used todescribe the same.

Overview

Referring to FIG. 1A, a first illustrative aqueous ozone sanitizingsystem for tissue sanitizing, forms a wall mounted hand sanitizer 300 asuitable for general commercial or healthcare facility use. A secondembodiment forms a counter mount hand sanitizer 300 b for like usage,but rather than including lower portion 334 a for wall mounting, thecounter mount hand sanitizer is configured to provide or mount to anexisting countertop 334 b or similar horizontal support surface.Referring to FIGS. 2, 3A and 5, the embodiments include a hoodedsanitizing chamber 310 defining openings 372 a-b for hands 20, spraydevices 410 and 430, a docketing receptacle 350 for pluggably receivinga replaceable ozone generator 100, and a controller 512 and hand sensors590 for sensing hand position and orientation, for delivering a desiredozone concentration and duration, and for tracking usage, includingpersonnel sanitizing practice compliance.

While the illustrative embodiment discusses sanitizing of a user'shands, other embodiments within the scope of the claimed inventioninclude sanitizing systems suitable for sanitizing other body parts, forexample, hands and forearms or feet, and for sanitizing other objects,for example, including tools or instruments such as medical devices, soit is under stood that an object or a different body part or tissue canbe substituted for all occurrences of the disclosure reciting ‘a hand.’

The ozone generator 100 (FIG. 15) used with the hand sanitizer 300 mayincluded more than one ozone generation cells 210 a-d. Additionally,quality sensors, for example, including but not limited to sensordetermining aqueous ozone concentration, for example oxidation-reductionpotential sensors 230 and 240 a-b, may optionally be housed within thereplaceable ozone generator 100, for example, an untreated water inletsensor 230 the measurement of which can be used to compare with themeasurement of a single or redundant ozonated water outlet sensors 240a-b for controller 512 to determine and control the ozone concentrationprovided by the generator 100 to a desired level. Sensors may also beincluded in ozone generator 100 and/or sanitizer 300 that providemeasurement of other properties and parameters of water, aqueous ozone,and the components of system 300 include generator 100 discussed here.

Referring to FIG. 2, the front cover 370 defines a left opening 372 a isconfigured to guide a left hand 20 a to a proper position andorientation for a left spray zone (also referred to as an applicationzone) within the spray chamber 310 and a right opening 372 b guides aright hand 20 b to a proper position and orientation for a right sprayzone within the spray chamber 310, both zones ensuring full coverage ofhands 20 with the direct spray of ozonated water 52. The user interface584 may include fixed markings or markings animated by the controller512, presence sensor 582, and/or hand sensors 590 to further guidetiming of insertion, withdrawal, and the position and orientation of thehands 20. The front cover 370 may further define additional features forguidance of hands 20 as will be discussed further below.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the hand sanitizer 300 includes a hoodedsanitizing chamber 310 and a lower portion 334. The hooding preventsundesirable escape of ozonated water 52 and off-gassed ozone from thechamber 310, and includes covers 336. A top cover 344 includes a fanscreen 346 through which air pulled from the chamber 310 and thenfiltered free of ozone is exhausted. A cover frame 338 includesaccessible or removable right cover 342 and left cover 340.

The applicant has found it advantageous to maintaining ozoneconcentration provided by aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b to locate thegenerators in close proximity to the sanitizing chamber. For example, inat least one embodiment less than a 30% loss of ozone concentration wasnoted between the aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b and the spray chamber310, therefore, minimizing losses, and controlling the ozone productionto account for losses is required.

Opening the covers 340 and 342 provides access to docking receptacle 350a-b in which aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b are plugged and areunplugged from and swapped when exhausted, as will be discussed furtherbelow. The docking receptacles 350 a and 350 b provide various waterand/or electrical connections to connect the generators 100 a-b withother portions of the hand sanitizer as is further described below.Docking receptacles 350 a-b are each defined by the housing chassis 330between each of the left side 326 and right side 328 of the sanitizingchamber 310 and the respective left cover 340 and right cover 342. Someembodiments may include one and some other embodiments more than twodocketing receptacles 350 a-b to support a different number ofsimultaneously operated or reserve generators 100 a-b.

A control system 500 of the hand sanitizer 300 may include a presencesensor 582 for detection of a user, the function of which will befurther described below. The presence sensor 582 may be located with thefront cover 370, the adjacent frame 338 above or below the cover, thetop cover 344, or the lower portion 334.

The sanitizing chamber 310 and associated cover frame 338 may be coupledto a housing chassis 330, also shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. The lower frame332 may be used to attach the hand sanitizer 300 to a wall or otherfixed or movable structure, and may also support the chassis 330.Advantageously, the illustrative embodiment of hand sanitizers 300 a-bhave a sanitizing chamber 310 and cover 336 spanning only about 17.4inches in height, about 20.5 inches in width, and about 18.6 inches indepth. The lower portion 334 included with sanitizer 300 a adds about19.6 inches in height below the cover 336. The compact size of the handsanitizers 300 a-b is advantageous to the small spaces in commercial orhealthcare facilities available for the installation, including as areplacement to traditional handwashing sinks and other sanitizingstations.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6B, the lower frame 332 may house portions ofthe control system 500 and a water supply system 600, including, forexample, a power supply 510, an untreated water holding tank 614, awater pump 622, a water filter, and connections to an untreated watersupply 50. Other portions of the control system 500 and water supplysystem 600 may be located between the chamber 310 and the cover frame338 and associated covers. For example, the controller 512 andassociated ozone generator circuits 40, which may be separate from orintegral with the controller, may be located between a chamber top 314and the top cover 344. Additionally, an ozone filter 348 and a fan 560may be located between the chamber top 314 and the fan screen 346.

As illustrated in various cross-sectional views FIGS. 8 and 9A through10B, A spray system 400 associated with and the sanitizing chamber 310includes spray devices 410 a-e and 440 a-e which receive ozonated water52 from the generators 100 a-b and may also include distributionmanifolds 402 a-b (FIG. 4). The spray devices 410 and 440 aredistributed within the sanitizing chamber 310, for example, within achamber upper half 312, for example, with a chamber top 314, and withina chamber lower half 320, for example, with a chamber bottom 322. Thechamber top 314 may include contours 316 that can provide mountinglocations for the desired position and/or orientation of the spraydevices 410 a-c and 430 d-e as will be discussed further below.Similarly, the chamber bottom 322 a may include contours 324 for spraydevices 410 d-e and 430 d-e. A drain 325 provides an escape path for thespent ozonated water 52 delivered by the spray devices 410 a-e and 430a-e, for example, defined through a portion of the chamber bottom 322.

Hood/Chamber Opening

While prior art system are directed to devices that require the rubbingof hands under a unitary stream of aqueous ozone, or hold handshorizontal, palms down as they are sprayed by an oscillating spray bar,at least one of the illustrative embodiments herein uses the increasedefficiency and effectiveness offered by position hands so that palms arevertical, facing each other. This position of the hands provides asystem 300 having more compact chamber 310, spray zones 420 and 440,reduced distance from aqueous ozone generators 100 to spray zones 420and 440, an easier position to hold hands in for the user, reducedsplashing of water and off-gassed ozone outside of the chamber 310, andlonger run-off paths for additional chemical and mechanical action bythe aqueous ozone.

Referring to FIG. 6C, each opening 372 a-b of the front cover 370defines an oblong shape, for example, a stadium as shown in theillustrative embodiment, or an oval, ellipse, or rectangle. The majoraxis 376 a and 376 b is oriented perpendicular relative to the floor orground plane, thereby instructing a vertical orientation for each hand20 for insertion through the opening, i.e. the palm 34 is orientedperpendicular or closer to perpendicular than horizontal relative to thefloor as illustrated in FIG. 2, making it easier to insert each handwhile clearing the rim of the opening. The major axes 376 a-b of eachopening 372 a-b defines an opening vertical span 382 from edge to edgeof about 8.4 inches and a minor axis 374 defines an opening horizontalspan 384 of each opening from edge to edge of about 5.8 inches,providing a ratio of the horizontal span to the vertical span of lessthan 3:4, additionally or alternatively, about 2:3, and additionally oralternatively, less than 2:3. The distance between centers 380 of thetwo openings for the illustrative embodiment is about 5.3 inches. Theseratios have been discovered to provide visual cues to the user to orienttheir hands in a palm-to-palm orientation to ensure complete coveragefrom the ozonated water spray for most efficient sanitization. They alsohave been discovered to enable minimizing the written or otherinstructions required by increasing the obviousness of the use andinteraction with the sanitizer 300.

In the illustrative embodiment of the sanitizer 300, a channel 390portion of the area of the between the two openings 372 a-b is alsoopened, thereby connecting the two openings, but retaining enough of theoblong shape of each individual opening 372 a-b to retain the overallappearance of a vertical orientation of each opening, thereby retainingthe feature instructing a vertical orientation for each hand 20 forinsertion through the openings. For example, in the illustrativeembodiment, the narrowest vertical span 392 of the channel 390connecting the two openings 372 a-b spans about 5.4 inches, providing aratio of the opening vertical span (major axis) 382 of each individualopening (8.4 inches) to the vertical span 392 of the connecting channelof less than 3:4, additionally or alternatively, a ratio of about 2:3,and additionally or alternatively, a ratio of less than 2:3.

Defining an open but narrowed channel 390 between the pair of openings372 a-b also provides an advantages to the user of having bettervisibility of both hands 20 when inserted through the openings and intothe chamber 310, retaining the advantage of the channel between the pairof openings be a smaller vertical span than the openings so as to limitthe escape of aqueous ozone or ozone off-gas, and guiding the left andright hands 20 to the center 380 of each opening 372 a-b. Suchadvantages are advantageous over prior art openings forming a singlehorizontal elongate opening of uniform vertical height.

The space between the opening 372 a-b that forms the channel 390 is lessthan 1 inches wide along a horizontal axis 374, thereby the connectedpair of openings and channel forming an open horizontal span of about 12inches. A perimeter formed by the openings 372 a-b and channel 390 mayinclude a rim 394 to frame the opening, enhancing one or more of thevisual contrast, material properties, or hand edge protection. Forexample, the rim 394 may be formed from liquid silicone rubber (LSR) ora thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The front cover 370 may be formed frompolyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and may optionallybe translucent or transparent.

The front cover 370 and/or rim 390 may include formed or appliedfeatures such as markings 396 and 398 that further guide the positionand orientation of the hands as they are inserted through the openings372 a-b and into a static position and orientation within the sanitizingchamber 310. For example, features 398 can provide a vertical positionand/or rotational orientation of the hands 20 and features 396 canprovide a horizontal position and/or rotational orientation of the hands20.

The sanitizing chamber 310 and other components in contact with theozonated water 52 may be constructed from materials resistant todegradation from aqueous ozone, for example, molded from polyphenylenesulfide (PPS). Other portions of the cover 336, frame 338, and lowerportion 334 can be constructed from durable materials such aspolybutylene terephthalate (PBT), aluminum, stainless steel, andpowder-coated steel.

Spray System

At least one prior art device for aqueous ozone hand sanitizing teachesproper sanitization requires hand washing movement, e.g. rubbing orscrubbing of hands together, throughout the aqueous ozone wash cycle. Aprior art device also teaches hands held static during the aqueous ozonewash cycle with spray devices located above and below hands orientatedhorizontally, i.e. palm 34 and dorsal sides 36 parallel to the floor.

In contrast, it has been discovered by the applicant of the instantdisclosure that it is advantageous for static hand sanitizing to orientthe hands 20 vertically, i.e. thumbs 40 superior (at top) and palms 34facing each other, in order to achieve a reduction in size of theaqueous ozone hand sanitizer 300, particularly the size of thesanitizing chamber 310 and associated spray system 400, and to minimizethe number of spray heads 410 and 430 and maximize the coverage of allregions of the hand 20 with ozonated water 52 with streams directly fromthe spray devices, i.e., direct irrigation rather than coverage fromrun-off.

In one embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 7C, it has also been discoveredto be advantageous to rotate the hands 20 slightly angled apart, e.g.,rotating the forearms 44 along the proximal-distal axis 26 (FIG. 7B) toposition the thumbs 40 laterally further apart such that the surfaceplane of the palm 34 and dorsal sides 36 of each hand are about 115degrees relative to the floor, thus angling the palms of the hands eachto an anterior-posterior rotation 25 of about 25 degrees. This providesabout 50 degrees of angular separation between the palms 34, therebyreducing the opposing hand's obstruction of spray line of sight from thespray devices 410 and 430 to each palm, thus improving the facing palms'direct line of spray exposure to the spray devices.

It has also been discovered to be advantageous to spread the fingers 38and thumb 40 apart from each other for static hand sanitizing, therebyfurther reducing obstructions to direct line of spray exposure from thespray devices 410 and 430 to all areas of the fingers and thumb.

It has also been discovered to be advantageous to achieving the abovedisclosed goals to provide spray devices 410 and 430 oriented relativeto and directed to specific regions of each hand 20. TABLE 1, listedbelow, and the discussion that immediately follows is directed todescribing an illustrative arrangement of the spray devices 40 and thehands 20, particularly the coverage of the hands 20 by each spray device410 and 430.

TABLE 1 Spray Device Hand Coverage/Relative Origin Proximal/ Distal/Spray Lateral Medial Posterior Wrist Central Fingers Device (toward(toward Anterior (dorsal/ (carpus (metacarpal (phalangeal 410/430 thumb)little finger) (palm side) back side) region) region) region) a X X X Xb X X X X X c X X X d X X X X X e X X X X X

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, an illustrative spray system 400 is shownproviding sanitizing of a user's hands 20 with ozonated water 52,illustrated as spray patterns 421. Advantageously, elements of thecontrol system 500 can guide the position and/or orientation of thehands 20 into a bounded area defined within the spray chamber 310,referred herein as a spray zones 420 and 430. In the illustrativeembodiment, the position, orientation, and overlapping spray patterns421 define the spray zones 420 and 430 as bounded areas within which thehands 20 are position to maximize the irrigation coverage of the handswith direct spray of ozonated water 52. The distance from the spraydevices 410 and 430 to the spray zones 420 and 430, and thus to thehands 20, is also selected to provide full coverage while minimizinglosses in ozone concentration, thus providing simultaneous irrigationcoverage of the hands, thereby eliminating the necessity of moving orscrubbing the hands and minimizing the time of irrigation required forsanitizing the hands.

Referring to FIG. 7B, the user's hand 20 includes a proximal wrist 30,also know as a corpus region, a central region 32, also known as ametacarpal region, and distal fingers 38, also known as a phalangealregion. For select embodiments, a portion of the forearms 44 may beincluded in the scope of the term wrists 30, and therefore hands 20. Theuser's hands 20 also did defines a lateral thumb side 40 and a medialside 42, i.e., an opposite side adjacent the little finger. Referring toFIG. 7A, the user's hands further define palms 34, i.e., an anteriorside, and a dorsal side 36, i.e., a posterior or backside.

As illustrated by both Table 1 and FIGS. 7A and 7B, specific ones of thespray devices 410 and 430 are directed to specific regions of the hands20. In the illustrative embodiment, spray devices 410 and 430 may eachinclude a fluidic oscillator 411 (not shown) that provides atwo-dimensional fluid oscillation centered on a longitudinal axis 412 ofthe device. In the illustrative embodiment, the fluidic oscillator 411or other features controlling the spray exiting the spray devices 410and 430 provide an three-dimensional spray pattern, including an angularspray fan 419 a of about 32 degrees about a anterior-posterior 418, andan angular spray fan 419 b of about 16 degrees about a proximal-distalaxis 435 a. Illustrative spray devices 410 and 430 are, for example,available from Bowles Fluidics Corporation of Columbia, Md. Use of suchfluidic oscillators positioned and oriented as disclosed effectivelyachieves the desired combined chemical and mechanical action appliedaqueous ozone with the high surface area provided by small uniformparticles with a high spin rate, applied by direct irrigation to theentire surface of the hands, efficiently loosening and lessening themicrobe load; however, other forms of application of aqueous ozone maybe used if similar dispensing of aqueous ozone is achieved.

In the illustrative embodiment, and as shown in FIGS. 7A-B and FIGS.9A-10B, the spray devices 410 a-c and 430 a-c are located in a chamberupper half 312, for example, coupled to chamber top 314, and the spraydevices 410 d-e and 430 d-e are located in a chamber lower half 320, forexample, coupled to chamber bottom 322. Additionally, the spray devices410 a/430 a, 410 a/430 d, and 410 a/430 e are located anterior to, e.g.,in-between, the hands 20, and the spray devices 410 b/430 b and 410c/430 c are located posteriorly, e.g. outside of, the hands 20. As canbe noted for the spray devices 410 b and 430 b, selected spray devicesmay also have the longitudinal axis 412 a aligned with, or about alignedwith, the lateral-medial axis 22 of the hands 20. This alignment dependson the desired relative position and anterior-posterior rotation 25, forexample as shown in FIG. 7A with palms facing and parallel andcontrasted with FIG. 7C with palms slightly angled apart at the top,that the control system 500 guides the user's hands to.

The combination of the location and rotational position of the spraydevices 410 and 430 and the position and rotational orientation of thehands 20 to which they are guided by the control system 500 of theillustrative embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B (and alternativelyFIGS. 7C and 7B) and FIGS. 11A-12C and is further described below. Thespray devices 410 a-b/430 a-b have a direct spray line of sight with thepalms 34, the spray devices 410 c/430 c has a direct spray line of sightwith the dorsal side 36, and the spray devices 410 d-e/430 d-e havedirect spray line of sight to the medial 42 and portions of the palm 34and dorsal side 36.

As illustrated in the Figs. and described in Table 1, the spray devices410 a/430 a are directed to the wrist 30 and may also be directed to oneor both of the forearm 44 and the central region 32. The spray devices410 b/430 b are directed to the central region 32 and may also bedirected to at least a portion of the fingers 38. The spray devices 410c/430 c are directed to the fingers 38 and may also be directed to aportion of the central region 32. The spray devices 410 e/430 e aredirected to the fingers 38, and may also be directed to a portion of thecentral region 32. The spray devices 410 d/430 d are directed to thewrist 30 and at least a portion of the central region 32, and may alsobe directed to a portion of the forearm 44.

Because the coverage of the hands 20 with direct spray from the spraydevices 410 and 430 is more consistent than is subsequent runoff ofozonated water 52, and because ozone concentration is reduced bymechanical action, the illustrative embodiment maximizes the directspray coverage of the hands 20.

To further facilitate full coverage with the ozonated water 52, elementsof the control system 500, including the user interface 584 andoptionally the hand sensors 590, may also guide the user to separate thefingers 38 and thumb 40, for example, as is illustrated in FIG. 7B, orto a higher degree of separation than is illustrated.

The following description along with FIGS. 11A-12C disclose specificfeatures of the illustrative embodiment of the spray system 400 toachieve the above discussed aspects of spray coverage. A deviceanterior-posterior datum plane 431 is located centrally in the spraysystem 400 and the sanitizing chamber 310. A device proximal-distallocation datum plane 433 a is located at a proximal (front) edge of thespray system 400. A device lateral-medial datum plane 435 a is locatedat a proximal, bottom (medial) edge of the spray system 400 and thespray chamber 310, for example, about 34 inches above the floor level.

A spray zone proximal-distal datum plane 433 b is located at a proximal(front) edge of the spray chamber 310. A spray zone lateral-medial datumplane 435 b is located centrally in the spray chamber 310, for example,aligned with a center of the openings 372 a-b and sloped downward, forexample, about 4 inches above the bottom edge of the spray system 400and the spray chamber 310, and sloped downward about 15 degrees intospray chamber.

The spray devices 410 a-c/430 a-c are located in the chamber upper half312 and have an angular displacement 414 a about a proximal-distal axis417 that spans within a range of 30 to 50 degrees, for example, about 45degrees, and an angular displacement 416 a about a anterior-posterioraxis 418 that spans within a range of 30 to 50 degrees, for example,about 40 degrees. The spray devices 410 d-e/430 d-e are located in thechamber lower half 320 and have an angular displacement 414 b about theproximal-distal axis 417 that spans within a range of 0 to 10 degrees,for example, about 3 degrees, and an angular displacement 416 b aboutthe anterior-posterior axis 418 that spans within the range of 0 to 10degrees, for example, about 4 degrees.

Referring now to FIGS. 12A-12C, a left spray zone 420 defined within thesanitizing chamber 310 specifies the area within which the left hand 20a is positioned and oriented by the control system 500, and a rightspray zone 440 specifies the area within which the right hand 20 b ispositioned and oriented by the control system. In the illustrativeembodiment, each of the left and right spray zones 420 and 440 encompassless than about 320 cubic inches.

Each of the left and right spray zones 420 and 440 define aproximal-distal axis 417 having a zone anterior-posterior slope 444 ofabout 15 degrees about the anterior-posterior axis 418, slopingdownwardly in a direction extending from the pair of openings 372 a-band into the sanitizing chamber 310.

Each of the left and right spray zones 420 and 440 define alateral-medial axis 424 that is oriented a zone lateral-medial slope 447of between about 10 degrees and about 25 degrees about theanterior-posterior axis 418 and is sloped outwardly in a directionextending from the bottom toward the top of the pair of openings 372a-b.

Each of the left and right spray zones 420 and 440 define an anteriorzone edge 442 of about 0.5 inches from the center of the openings 372a-b, a proximal zone edge 446 of about 4 inches from the openings, alateral-medial zone center 441 of about 4 inches above the bottom edgeof the spray system 400 and the spray chamber 310.

Each of the left and right spray zones 420 and 440 can define along ananterior-posterior axis 418 a lateral zone anterior-posterior span 443 aof about 3.5 inches and a medial zone anterior-posterior span 443 b ofabout 4.5 inches, define along an lateral-medial axis 424 a zonelateral-medial span 447 of about 8 inches, and define along aproximal-distal axis 417 a zone proximal-distal span 449 of about 10inches.

In the illustrative embodiment of spray system 400, the spray device 430a has an anterior-posterior location 432 a of about 1.1 inches, aproximal-distal location 434 a of about 6.2 inches, and a lateral-mediallocation 436 a of about 8.3 inches. The spray device 430 b has ananterior-posterior location 432 b of about 4.5 inches, a proximal-distallocation 434 b of about 11.0 inches, and a lateral-medial location 436 bof about 9.7 inches. The spray device 430 c has an anterior-posteriorlocation 432 c of about 6.6 inches, a proximal-distal location 434 c ofabout 15.2 inches, and a lateral-medial location 436 c of about 8.0inches. The spray device 430 d has an anterior-posterior location 432 dof about 0.8 inches, a proximal-distal location 434 d of about 4.2inches, and a lateral-medial location 436 d of about −3.1 inches. Thespray device 430 e has an anterior-posterior location 432 e of about 1.1inches, a proximal-distal location 434 e of about 6.9 inches, and alateral-medial location 436 e of about −4.1 inches. The spray devices410 a-e have corresponding mirror image locations to those of spraydevices 430 a-e.

The spray device 430 a has a rotational location 413 a of about −18degrees about the proximal-distal axis 417 and relative to theanterior-posterior datum plane 431, and a rotational location 415 a ofabout 41 degrees about the anterior-posterior axis 418 and relative tothe proximal-distal datum plane 435 b. The spray device 430 b has arotational location 413 b of about 11 degrees about the proximal-distalaxis 417 and relative to the anterior-posterior datum plane 431, and arotational location 415 b of about 68 degrees about theanterior-posterior axis 418 and relative to the proximal-distal datumplane 435 b. The spray device 430 c has a rotational location 413 ofabout 26 degrees about the proximal-distal axis 417 and relative to theanterior-posterior datum plane 431, and a rotational location 415 ofabout 80 degrees about the anterior-posterior axis 418 and relative tothe proximal-distal datum plane 435 b. The spray device 430 d has arotational location 413 of about 23 degrees about the proximal-distalaxis 417 and relative to the anterior-posterior datum plane 431, and arotational location 415 of about −52 degrees about theanterior-posterior axis 418 and relative to the proximal-distal datumplane 435 b. The spray device 430 has a rotational location 413 of about19 degrees about the proximal-distal axis 417 and relative to theanterior-posterior datum plane 431, and a rotational location 415 ofabout 49 degrees about the anterior-posterior axis 418 and relative tothe proximal-distal datum plane 435 b.

The span between the upper devices 410 a-c/430 a-c and the lower devices410 d-e/430 d-e ranges between about 11 and 14 inches, thereby limitingthe transient of the ozonated water 52 from the spray devices to thehands 20 to between less than 5.5 inches and less than 7 inches. Thisgeometry for the spray devices 401 a-e/430 a-e has been discovered toenable a wide range of hand sizes and minimizing the distance betweenupper and lower spray devices increases efficiency by minimizing theloss for the ozonated water of dissolved ozone to gaseous ozone andreduces the exposure to gaseous ozone.

Sanitizing System Control

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 17, the control system 500 includes a powersupply 510, a controller 512, ozone controllers 540, and a userinterface 584. The control system 500 controls all aspects of theoperation of and user interaction with aspects of the hand sanitizer300, particularly the aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b and the spraysystem 400, including the delivery of untreated water supply 500 to theozone generators by the pump 622, valves 610, and sensors 616, 620, 624,and 626, and including the delivery of and desired ozone concentrationlevel of the ozonated water 52 to the spray chamber 310. The controller512 may also provide user guidance and or sensing, for example, in asanitizing process 700 illustrated in FIG. 18 and described below,controller 512 verifies that a user's hands 20 are positioned within thespray zones 420 and 440 for the duration of a sanitizing cycle.Components of the control system 500 may reside within the handsanitizer 300, the aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b, or distributedbetween the hand sanitizer 300 and the aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b.

The control system 500 may optionally implement identity, data logging,fault detection, and other local and/or cloud-based supervisory andoperational control functions to ensure proper operation of the handsanitizer 300, including the ozone generators 100 and user compliancewith the hand sanitizing 300 operating requirements and/or externalcompliance requirements.

The controller 512 in the illustrative embodiment may be a digitalcontrol system using a processor 516 and memory 518 and may also includeanalog circuits, for example power regulator 514 and various actuatorand sensor controls. The controller 512 can be powered by the powersupply 510, for example a medical grade 500 W AC to DC power supply. Thecontroller 512 may also include a power regulator 514 to furthercondition and regulate power received from the power supply 510 asrequired for components of the control system 500 and the water supplysystem 600, including the controller 512 and the ozone generatorcontrollers 540.

For controlling the untreated water supply 50, the controller 512 canincludes a pump control circuit 524 for controlling the operation of thepump 622, and may provide variable control, for example of flow rateand/or pressure of the untreated water supply 50. If the water supplysystem 600 includes controllable valves such as supply valve 610 anddrain valve 618, the controller 512 also can include a valve controlcircuit 526 for controlling the operation of the valves. For example, inthe illustrative embodiment of the spray system 400, each spray device410 a-e and 430 a-e requires aqueous ozone delivered at at least 4 psifor proper operation, which can be monitored by measure water pressureor flow rate for a given embodiment of the system 300.

The water supply system 600 may also include various sensors, forexample, a water level sensor 616 to measure the volume of untreatedwater held within the holding tank 614, a water temperature sensor 620,a flow meter 624, and a pressure sensor 626. If the water supply system600 includes any of these optional sensors, the controller 512 mayinclude a sensor control circuit 528, for example, that providesconditioned signals for the sensors and receives data signals indicativeof measurements made by the sensors.

The pump control 524, valve control 526, and sensor control 528 may bein data communication with the processor 516, for example, using anonboard communication circuit 522. In one embodiment, the processor 516may include aspects of the control circuits 524, 526, and 528, forexample, as is common in microcontrollers.

The ozone generator controllers 540 a-b may be integral with thecontroller 512, comprise one or more daughter boards, or comprise aseparate board located with the hand sanitizer 300 or the housing 102 ofthe aqueous ozone generator 100. The illustrative embodiment the handsanitizer 300 includes an ozone generator controller 540 a for the rightaqueous ozone generator 100 a and an ozone generator controller 540 bfor the left aqueous ozone generator 100 b. Each ozone generatorcontroller 540 a-b may include, for example, a driver 542 for poweringthe ozone generating cells 210 a-d, for example a constant currentdriver such as a buck-boost constant current switching regulator, apower monitor 544, a polarity swap circuit 546, and a sensor circuit548.

In the illustrative embodiment the ozone generator cells 210 of theaqueous ozone generators 100 are electrolytic, and the polarity swapcircuits 546 enable periodic changing of the polarity delivered to theelectrodes of the cells, for example swapping polarity between each handsanitation cycle. The level of ozone generated by the ozone generatorcells 210 is a function of power supplied, therefore the power monitor544 facilitates additional ozone concentration control. Additionally,degradation of the ozone generating cells 210 because of usage or faultmay be determined in part by an increase in voltage for given currentlevel, thereby the power monitor 544 being used for detectingdegradation or failure of one or more ozone generating cells 210 when anincreased voltage is detected beyond a reasonable range for a givencurrent level. In the illustrative embodiment, the ozone generator cells210 can be driven by a range of at least 0-1.2 amps each, and with fourozone generator cells 210 each driven by a constant current of 410milliamps, each aqueous ozone generator 100 produces a concentration of0.8 ppm of aqueous ozone, with an observed typical voltage of 9-12 voltsindicating normal ozone generator cell 210 operation. An elevatedobserved voltage, for example, 20-25 volts, or above 22 volts indicateddegraded generator cell 210 operation. In detecting a degrading ordegraded cell 210 in this way, operation of ozone generator 100 andsystem 300 may optionally continue by removing a degrading or degradedcell form operation and using only the non-faulted cells. Additionally,and optionally, controller 512 may store and/or communicate an alertmessage, for example, to a remote server 80, that an impending change ofozone generator 100 will be required.

The sensor circuits 548 each provide power to and receive data signalsfrom one of the inlet sensor 230 and outlet sensors 240 a-b of theaqueous ozone generators 100. For example, an oxidation-reductionpotential sensor or other type sensor is used for inlet and outletsensors 230 and 240 a-b to measure ozone concentration, providingcontroller 512 with closed loop control of the production provided byaqueous ozone generators 100. For example, the data signal from at leastone ozone inlet sensor 230 can be compared by the ozone controller 540or the controller 512 to the data signal from at least one outlet sensor240 a-b to determine the ozone concentration provided by the aqueousozone generators 100.

In one embodiment, a second inlet outlet sensor 240 b is provided tovalidate the data signals received in determining the ozoneconcentration. Additionally, measurement of the ozone concentration inthe ozonated water 52 may allow the controller 512 to detect adegradation or failure of one or more aqueous ozone generating cells 210a-d in the event the supplied power provided by the aqueous ozonecontrollers 540 a-b does not provide a measured ozone concentration asexpected. For example, a testing state of the hand sanitizer 300 mayprovide individual powering of each ozone generating cell 200 a-d foreach aqueous ozone generator 100 a-b in order to detect a degraded orfailed cell, and may enable continued use of the aqueous ozone generator100 a-b, for example, by powering and relying on the remaining fullyfunctioning cells to provide the desired level of ozone concentration.

The generator controllers 540 a-b may include an individual driver 542,power monitor 544, and polarity swap circuit 546 for each of the ozonegenerator cells 210 a-d. For example, in the illustrative embodiment,the aqueous ozone generator 100 includes up to four ozone generatingcells 210 a-d, therefore for separately controllable drivers 542, powermonitors 544, and validity swap circuits 546 are included with eachozone controller 540. Other embodiments may include additional or fewerozone generating cells 210 a-d per generator 100.

In the illustrative embodiment of ozone generator 100 a-b, as will bediscussed further below, the ozone generator cells 210 a-d are eachexposed to a separate waterflow pathway and the separate pathways arefluidly arranged in parallel. It is thought that the duty life of theozone generating cells 210 a-d, and thus the generator 100 a-b, can belengthen in this parallel arrangement as each may be simultaneouslyoperated by the ozone controller 540 a-b at a lower power level toachieve a desired ozone concentration than if fewer cells were used, orif the cells were arranged serially. Additionally, if the desired ozoneconcentration can be achieved by powering a subset of the ozonegenerating cells, the duty life may also be lengthened by the ozonecontroller 540 alternating selectively powering only a subset of thecells. The later may also be used to keep a generator 100 in servicethat has suffer a degradation or failure of one of the ozone generatingcells 210 a-d as the load can be picked up by the remaining fullyfunctional cells without changes to the hardware or water passageway290.

In the illustrative embodiment of the hand sanitizer 300, a userinterface 584 is operated by the controller 512 in coordination with thepresence sensor 582 and the hand sensors 592 to coordinate the controlof the hand sanitizer 300 with the user, particularly the position andorientation of the user's hands 20 within the spray chamber 310. Thepresence sensor 582 may be, for example, a capacitive, time-of-flight,or other distance, occupancy, or proximity detection sensor. Thepresence sensor 582 can be used to detect that a user has approached thehand sanitizer 300 for use. For example, in one embodiment, thecontroller 512 and presence sensor 582 can be used to wake the handsanitizer from a standby or low-power state and transition to a readystate, including providing guidance and/or status information to a uservia the user interface 584 and/or other indicating device.

In the illustrative embodiment, the controller 512 will not transitionfrom the ready state to irrigation state unless both a hand sensor 592detects a user's hand in position with the spray chamber 310 and thepresence sensor 582 detects a person within sufficient proximity of thespray chamber 310 to use the sanitizer, for example within 18 inches,within 12 inches, or between 6 and 12 inches. Requiring detection byboth a hand sensor 592 and the presence sensor 582 eliminates falsedetections to due water splash residue that could occur if initiation ofthe irrigation state required only detection by the hand sensor 592.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the user interface 584 indicatesstates of the hand sanitizing process. The user interface 584 can be afixed graphic display that is not lighted or animated, maybe lighting586, for example with varying colors and steady and flashing states,maybe a dynamic graphic display, for example, including fixed icons withselective backlighting, color, brightness, steady, or flashingillumination of the fixed icons, and/or a display that is not fixed, forexample an LCD or other display unit. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 18, operating steps or states of a hand sanitizing process, areindicated. For example, a first state icon instructs insertion of auser's hands 20 upon detection of the presence of the user by presencesensor 582. The hand sensors 590, for example located at an interiorchamber top 314 of the sanitizing chamber 310, may be used to detect themovement into and/or position and orientation within the spray zones 420and 440 discussed above in describing the spray system 400.

Illustrative hand sensors 590 are capacitive, electro-optical,time-of-flight and other sensors known in the art that are capable ofdetecting presence, location, and/or motion, and that may provide imagedata from which detection can be determined. For example, in theillustrative embodiment, a hand sensor 590 is located above each of theproper positions for the left and the right hands, for example, aboveleft spray zone 420 and above right spray zone 440, and calibrated todetect when the left and right hands are located within a properposition laterally and vertically, for example, within the left and theright spray zones. The illustrative hand sensor is a time-of-flightsensor, for example a laser-ranging sensor module such as VL53LOXavailable from STMicroelectronics of Edina, Minn. The identity sensor580 may include one or more RF antennas capable of detecting anidentification or access card at sufficient range so that a user neednot specifically swipe an RFID or other identity card while using system300.

In an alternative embodiment, the hand sensors 590 include a linearinfrared array capable of detecting motion and providing a primitiveimage that can be processed to determine motion, position, orientation,and even finger and thumb spread. For example, the hand sensors 590 maybe sensors such as those used for hand gesture detection, for example,sensors available from Neonode Technologies AB, of Stockholm, Sweden.

Upon the controller 512 and hand sensors 590 determining correctposition and/or orientation of the hands 20, a second icon state of userinterface 584 may be displayed, indicating activation of the spraysystem 400. For example, irrigation of the hands 20 with ozonated water52 for a preset duration of time, water volume, or total ozone exposure.Advantageously, if the hand sensors 590 detect improper position ororientation of the hands 20 during the sanitizing state, the userinterface 584 can provide an indication to the user to take correctiveaction. The indication may be a change in the state icon, display of adifferent icon, or an audible or other indication. Upon successfulcompletion of the sanitizing state, the user interface 584 can display athird completion state, indicating the user that the hand sanitizingcycle has been successfully completed and hands 20 can be removed fromthe sanitizing chamber 310.

In one embodiment, a visible light indication separate from the userinterface 584 may be used with one or more states to indicate a statusor instruction to the user. For example, one or more lights turned on,off, flashed, or changed in color or brightness, for example within thesanitizing chamber 310, may indicate a ready state awaiting theinsertion of the hands 20, a state indicating the hands 20 are in theproper position and orientation, or completion of the hand sanitizingstate.

The indication of a successful completion of a hand sanitizing cycle mayalso include consideration of other aspects of the hand sanitizer 300 inaddition to the position orientation of the hands, for examplemeasurement by the control system 500 of the desired ozoneconcentration, flow rate, and/or duration.

In on embodiment, the control system 500 includes an gaseous ozonesensor 562 to detect a level of gaseous ozone concentration exhaustedthrough the fan screen 346, for example, to ensure proper functioning ofan ozone filter 348 and fan 560 and capturing or neutralizing gaseousozone drawn from the spray chamber 310. For example, detection of anexcessive gaseous ozone level by the controller 512 and gaseous ozonesensor 562 could lockout operation of the spray system 400, includingaqueous ozone generators 100 a-b until a control system 500 flagindicating maintenance is required is reset by authorized personnel.

In at least one embodiment, the control system 500 provides a securityfeature which prevents operation of the spray system 400 if one of theaqueous ozone generators 100 a-b is not detected, is not properlyauthenticated, or has not been paired for use with the hand sanitizingsystem 300. For example, the aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b mayinclude a memory device 254 and/or a digital security device 256 thatthe controller 512 can communication with. A startup or other check ofthe hand sanitizing system 300 can include an onboard or offboard, forexample, via WAN 70 and remote server 80, security check to verify thatthe aqueous ozone generators 100 a-b are authentic, properly paired foruse with the hand sanitizing system 300, and can therefore be reliedupon to provide a desired level of ozone concentration or to detect animproper level of ozone concentration. Such a security feature can usepart serial numbers, encryption, block-chain technology, or othertechnology known in the art and incorporated into one or both of theaqueous ozone generators 100 a-b and the control system 500 to ensureoperation of the hand sanitizing system 300 is prevented if criticalcomponents are not found and validated.

Referring to FIG. 19, a display plan view of various additional oralternative display icon designs for user interface 584 is shown. Forexample, a number of alternative status indicators for various statesand conditions of the hand sanitizer 300 and user's hands 20 areillustrated, including indications of the position and orientation ofhands 20, sanitizing cycle time elapsed or remaining, successful andunsuccessful cycle completion, and a user identity (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 4, the control system 500 may also include a personnelidentity sensor 580, including, for example, a sensor capable of readingan optical barcode, RF, NFC, or other identification badge or accesscard, or an imaging device capable of using facial recognition or otherbiometric identity indicators. The identity sensor 580 may include oneor more RF antennas capable of detecting an identification or accesscard at sufficient range so that the user's ID on their body can becaptured passively upon use of the sanitizer 300 without the user havingto actively swipe the ID near the identity sensor.

The advantage of incorporating user identity into the control system 500is to limit access to and/or track the use and compliance regarding theuse of the hand sanitizer 300. For example, the processor 512 may becapable of storing in memory 518 or transmitting via the WAN/LANcommunication circuit 520 various data logging information that relatesto any of system performance, system use, and successful or unsuccessfulcompletion of the sanitizing cycle, including user identity, times,frequency, and outcome of the uses.

Advantageously, in at least one embodiment, a local area network or widearea network 70 may be used to communicate data logging and other dataassociated with the controller 512 with a personal computing device 82,for example a handheld smart device, or a server or other remotelylocated computing device 80.

Note that FIG. 17 includes elements of the control system 500 and waterdelivery system 600 that are optional and may not be included in variousembodiments of an aqueous ozone sanitizing system according to thepresent disclosure. Optional elements include but are not limited to:WAN/LAN transceiver 520, valve controller 526, sensor controller 528,gaseous ozone sensor 562, ID reader 580, presence sensor 582, userinterface 584, lighting 586, UV light 588, hand sensors 590, supplyvalve 510, inlet filter 612, holding tank 614, water level sensor 616,drain valve 618, temperature sensor 620, flow meter 624, pressure sensor626, and releasable coupling 628.

Of note, the temperature of water for most water supplies does notappear to have significant bearing on either the amount of ozoneproduced, or the amount of decay in the brief distances and time betweengeneration and application in the illustrative embodiments, so it iscontemplated that water temperature measurement or control is notrequired for many of the applications and uses discussed herein.

Referring to FIG. 18, a hand sanitizing process 700 is illustrated thatmay be executed by the control system 500, for example the controller512, for example, including the processor 516. The process begins atstep 702. At step 704, the controller 512 may enter a startup state, forexample, upon powering on of the system 500, or alternatively in anotherembodiment, upon the presence sensor 582 and/or identity sensor 580detecting close proximity of a user. At step 704, the processor 512 maypower additional portions of the control system 500, for example, theuser interface 584, the pump 622 for priming, and possible directdiagnostic or other system checks of the electrical system 500 and watersupply system 600.

Upon the controller 512 determining that the startup state is complete,a step 706 provides a ready state. The ready state of controller 512 mayinclude, for example, an indication on the user interface 584 to theuser to insert the hands 20 into the sanitizing chamber 310, forexample, indicator lighting 586 illuminating the sanitizing chamber 310with a steady white light.

In step 708, controller 512 determines using presence sensor 582 whethera user is in close proximity of the front cover 370, for example, inproximity to insert hands into the chamber 310, for example, within 18inches, within 12 inches, or between 6-12 inches. If not, the process700 continues at step 706. The controller 512 may also capture useridentity information using identity reader 580 for later reporting ofsystem 300 use by the user, for example, at steps 716-724.

At step 710, upon the controller 512 detecting movement within thesanitizing chamber 310, for example, positioning of a hand with the leftand/or right spray zones 420 and 440 detected by the hand sensors 590,the process will continue to step 712, else return to step 708. In astep 710, which provides a hand insertion state, user interface 584feedback or other guidance to the user may be provided regarding handposition and orientation, including based on detection by the handsensors 590 whether hand position and/or orientation is correct orincorrect. Upon the controller 512 determining correct hand position andorientation, or after expiration of a delay timer, the process 700continues to step 710.

At step 710, a dispensing/sanitizing state is provided by the controller512. For example, ozone off-gas mitigation is initiated, including forexample powering fan 560, the pump 622 is activated to provide untreatedwater supply 52 to the aqueous ozone generators 100, and the ozonegenerator controllers 540 are provided power and control sensing for theozone generator cells 210 a-d. The ozone generators 100 thereby provideozonated water 52 to the spray system 400, and spray devices 410 and 430irrigate the hands 20. The sanitizing state at step 712 may provide anindication of elapsed time, remaining time, and/or an indication of handposition and orientation. Additionally, indicator lighting 586 canilluminate the chamber 310 with a steady teal or aqua light duringdispensing. At Step 714, optionally an elapsed time may be paused andoptionally ozonated water 52 flow may be stopped in the event thecontroller 512 and hand sensors 590 detect movement and/or improperposition and orientation of the hands 20 relative to the spray zones 420and 440. Additionally, or alternatively, after detection of correctionor after a preset delay, the duration count timer may continue,including completion of the sanitizing state at step 718 once theselected duration of time is completed, for example, 7 seconds. Oralternatively, upon detection of movement and/or improper position, or afault of the system 300, the controller 512 may proceed to step 716providing an alert state to the user and/or the remote server 80 thatthe sanitizing process 700 is incomplete, including for example,indicator lighting 586 illuminating the chamber 310 with a flashingamber light.

Upon successful completion of the sanitizing state for the selectedduration of time, at step 720 a dispense/sanitization completion stateof the controller 512 removes power from the aqueous ozone generators100 and the pump 522. Step 720 may optionally provide an indication thatthe sanitizing state is complete and/or that hands 20 may be removedfrom the sanitizing chamber 310, for example, the user interface 584 mayindicate successful completion, for example, indicator lighting 586turning off the illumination within the chamber 310, indicating to theuser their hands may be shaken to remove water and withdrawn from theopenings 372 a and 372 b, and the controller 512 may optionally providea 3 second delay before changing the indicator lighting 586 to a readystate in accordance with step 706. At step 720, ozone off-gas mitigationcontinues for a present period of time, for example, 18 seconds, and/oruntil controller 512 receives a signal from gaseous ozone sensor 562that mitigation is complete. Optionally, process 706 can continue tostep 724 while the controller 512 monitors ozone off-gas mitigationcomplete as a new cycle could be started at step 706 before completionof mitigation.

The sanitizing control process 700 may also include other steps, forexample step 724 may provide a message mode state of the controller 512that indicates information relating to a maintenance, troubleshooting,fault, or other state or data indicating that execution of step 702through 710 is inhibited, including via user interface 584, and/or viaWAN/LAN transceiver 520, including to remote server 80 or personalcomputer device 82. After completion of step 724, the process 700continues at step 706.

Each of the steps 702-724 illustrated in FIG. 18 also list otheradditional or alternative substates and/or indications provided by theuser interface 584 or other portion of the control system 500.

Aqueous Ozone Generator Cartridges

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, an illustrative aqueous ozone generator100 used with a aqueous sanitizing system according to the presentdisclosure, including with the hand sanitizer 300, is illustrated.Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the aqueous ozone generator 100 includesfeatures described below that enable it to be plugged into the dockingreceptacle 350, also referred to a docking station, of the handsanitizer 300 in a single movement along a single axis. For example, notrequiring rotation or twisting of the aqueous ozone generator 100 orother components to fluidly and electrically engage and mechanicallylock the aqueous ozone generator 350 with the docking receptacle 350.While some prior art designs disclose individual generator cells andindividual sensors capable of being unscrewed and replaced from a priorart system, aqueous ozone generator 100 advantageously can provide oneor more generator cells 210, sensors, and other electronic andmechanical devices discussed below in a single housing 102 andpluggable, docking form that can be removed and replaced with exposingsensitive surfaces of the components to potential damage upon removal orinstallation as in prior art systems.

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the aqueous ozone generator 100 receivesuntreated water supply 50 at a water inlet connector 120 and providesozonated water 52 at a water outlet connector 130. An electricalconnector 250 connects power signals 260, sensor data signals 262,security data signals 264, and data logging signals 266, as will bedescribed further below, with the hand sanitizer 300. The connectors120, 130, and 250 may be, for example, plastic and/or metalquick-disconnect connectors to facilitate the pluggable aspect of thegenerator 100, including auto-locking of mechanical features to retainthe engaged position. The hand sanitizer 300 include associatedconnectors 352, 354, and 356 within the docking receptacles 350.

Referring to FIG. 15, the generator 100 is shown in exploded perspectiveview. Referring to FIG. 16, a manifold 140 of generator 100 is shown inan assembled cross-sectional view. The manifold 140 that forms a waterpassageway 290 for waterflow and treatment between an inlet opening 192,at which the connector 120 may be attached, and an outlet opening 202,at which the connector 130 may be attached. The manifold 140 also mountsand fluidly couples with the water passageway 290 several watertreatment devices 110, 230, and 240.

In the illustrative embodiment the manifold 140 and the water passageway290 include a central water passageway portion 150 that is fluidlycoupled between an inlet waterway passage portion 190 and an outletwater passageway portion 200. In the illustrative embodiment of thegenerator 100, ozone generating cells 210 a-210 d are mounted upon andfluidly coupled with the central water passageway portion 150, an inletsensor 230 is mounted upon and fluidly couples with inlet waterpassageway portion 190, and outlet sensors 240 a and 240 b are mountedupon and fluidly coupled with the outlet water passageways portion 200.

In the illustrative embodiment, an untreated supply waterflow 23provided to the generator 100 by water supply connector 352 flowsthrough an operably fixed (i.e., continuous, without valves or otheractuators that operably change the flow) water passageway 290 formed bymanifold 140, ultimately exiting as ozonated water 52 at an outletopening 202 of the outlet water passageway portion 200 and supplied tothe ozonated water connector 354. As will be further discussed below,the operably fixed water passageway 290 includes a parallel flow waterpassageways 292 a-d that are enabled in part by a coaxial feature of thecentral water passageway portion 150.

An electrical connector 250 that is coupled with electrical connector356 is accessible from outside of the housing 102 and can beelectrically coupled to or mounted to a circuit board 252. The circuitboard 252 may include, for example, a memory device 254 and relatedelectrical components, and a security device 256, which may be separatefrom or a function of the memory device 254. In the illustrativeembodiment, controller 512, including generator circuits 540,send/receives power signals 260 and sensor data signals 262 with thegenerator 100; however, in an alternative embodiment, circuit board 252may comprise these elements.

An inlet sensor 230 sensor provides measurement of an attribute, e.g. aproperty or parameter, of the untreated supply waterflow 23 that will bealtered by the ozone generating cells 210 effecting an increase in ozoneconcentration in the waterflow through the water passageway 290. Forexample, inlet sensor 230 may be an oxidation reduction potential (ORP)sensor that provides a baseline measurement to controller 512 that canbe compared to a measurement of the same property/parameter provided ofthe ozonated water 52 flow out of water passageway portion 150 of themanifold 140.

A change in oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) can be attributed to anincrease in the ozone concentration in the water. An ozone concentrationlevel can be determined by measuring the ORP downstream of the ozonegenerating cells 210 a-d, and taking into account the ORP of theuntreated water supply if known and consistent, or by actually measuringand taking into account the ORP upstream of the ozone generating cells210 a-d. The ozone concentration added to the water by the ozonegenerating cells 210 a-d can be calculated as a function of thedifferential in upstream and downstream ORP measurements.

The inlet sensor 230 can comprise at least a pair of electrodes, aworking electrode and a reference electrode, or alternatively, a set ofthree electrodes, a counter electrode, a working electrode, and areference electrode, carried by one or more non-conductive substrates,such as silicone or glass, supported by a housing and exposed to thewaterflow. The reference electrode uses an inert metal, for example,gold, platinum, silver or a chloride molecule thereof, which resistchemical action and corrosion, but will lose electrons to an oxidantsuch as ozone until its potential reaches that of the ORP level of thewater. By comparing a constant potential established between the workingelectrode and counter electrode pair, which is not affected by change inORP, with the potential of the reference electrode, which is, the ORP ofthe water is determined. The conversion from difference in potential tothe concentration of ozone can be made based on a calibration factor orlook up table for the electrode set developed using a solution of knownozone concentration.

The sensor 230 and sensor 240 a-b discussed below may be, for example,one of the sensor configurations disclosed by US Patent Publication2016/0209346 published Jul. 21, 2016, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference, or the commercially available electrode sensor partnumbers such as RRPX020AU and RREFX103 or RRPE100XC and RRPEAGCL fromPine Research of Durham, N.C.

In some embodiments, sensors 230 and 240 a-b may additionally oralternative include sensing elements on a single or multiple substratesfor temperature, flow, conductivity, acidity, and other such attributesof water.

Referring to FIG. 16, a flow separation chamber 142 is defined by thecentral water passageway portion 150. In the illustrative embodiment,the waterway passageway portion 150 includes an internal conduit 180located coaxially within outer conduit 160, thereby defining a coaxialarrangement and parallel flow feature of manifold 140. The functions ofthe central water passageway portion 150 include exposing the waterflowthrough water passageway 290 to the ozone generating cells 210 a-d,thereby increasing the ozone concentration of the waterflow, andminimizing the length of water passageway 290 and minimizing changes inwater pressure, velocity, vortices, and other flow disturbances, all ofwhich all to the reduce ozone concentration of the waterflow.

Each ozone generating cell 210 a-d includes a generating portion 212 a-das well as a housing, fluid pathways, and/or other support structure. Anexemplary generating portion 212 a-d includes a pair of electrode plates(an anode and a cathode) having slots defined therethrough for the flowof water, hydrogen, oxygen, and ozone. The electrodes can be constructedof boron-doped silicone and coated with boron-doped diamond, forexample, using chemical vapor deposition. Power can be applied from alledges of the electrodes to maximize ozone production. The electrodes canbe separated by a thin membrane that allows proton exchangetherethrough, and for example a solid polymer electrolyte such as apolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) copolymermembrane, which is commercially available from The Chemours Company ofWilmington, Del. as NAFION (trademark of The Chemours Company FC, LLC).

As is discussed further below, each of the parallel water passageways292 a-d of the present disclosure can provide a waterflow across eachoppositely charged electrode plate, for example, across the electrodesurface on the side opposite the separation membrane, resulting in theproduction of ozone within the water. The thin separation membranelocated between electrode plates, for example, 20-30 microns thick, mayalso allow for some cross-diffusion of water, hydrogen, and oxygenmolecules.

The concentration of ozone developed by the generating cell is afunction of the level of power supplied to the electrolytic generatingcell by generator circuits 540. In particular, by controller 512controlling the current supplied to each ozone generating cell, theconcentration of ozone can by controlled. In the illustrativeembodiment, the concentration of ozone controlled by hand sanitizer 300via the individual power signals 260 provided by generator circuits 540,through connectors 356 and 250 and connected through to each respectiveozone generating cell 210 a-d.

An example of an ozone generating cell 210 suitable for use in generator100 for generating aqueous ozone is an electrolytic cell, for example,as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 10,640,878 issued on May 5, 2020, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference; however, alternative orimproved ozone generating cells known in the art are also contemplatedfor use in generator 100. Exemplary electrolytic ozone generating cells210 provide a mechanical structure to guide a water flow across thesurfaces of a perforated pair of electrodes, an anode and a cathode eachframed by a current spreader, and separated by a proton exchangemembrane (PEM) designed to conduct protons between the anode andcathode. An exemplary electrode can be constructed of boron-dopedsilicon or another suitable material. The boron doped silicon materialserves as a conductor to pass current between the current spreader andboron doped, The doped silicon material may be about 200-800 micronsthick, such as about 500 microns thick. The front side each electrodemay have a boron-doped diamond coating or another suitable coating. Thecoating may be about 2-10 microns thick. The coating may be applied tothe underlying silicon material by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) oranother suitable deposition technique. The illustrative electrodes canbe rectangular in shape, for example, having a width of about 8millimeters and a length of about 10 millimeters, although the size andshape of the electrodes may vary, and are available from Neocoat SA ofLa Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

The PEM may be constructed of a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE)membrane, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/perfluorosulfonicacid (PFSA) copolymer membrane, which is commercially available fromDuPont™ as a Nafion® membrane.

The arrangement of the various components of central water passagewayportion 150 and ozone generating cells 210 a-d divides the waterflowthrough the water passageway 290 into a number of water passageways 292a-d that is that same as the number ozone generating cells 210 installedwith manifold 140. Each of the parallel water passageways 292 a-d enterthe inner conduit 180 through the respective cell opening 182 defined bythe inner conduit.

Another function of the parallel water passageways 292 a-d arrangementis that a higher ozone concentration can be achieve for the sameflowrate through the water passageway 290 and power delivered to theozone generating cells 210 a-d than can be achieved for the same numberof ozone generating cells 210 a-d arranged in a serial water pathwayarrangement. In the parallel arrangement, the water flowrate througheach ozone generating cell 210 a-d is divided by the number ofcells/parallel water passageways 292 a-d, for example, four for theillustrative embodiment. This provides the waterflow through eachparallel water passageway with a higher ozone concentration than if theflowrate was four times as high. Although a serial arrangement shouldboost the ozone concentration at each successive ozone generating cells210 a-d, it has been found that the loss of ozone generated by earlycells and flow through subsequent cells, for example, due to thewaterflow experiencing added disturbances to the flow by the serial flowarrangement, reduces the efficacy of the cumulative serial effect inboost ozone concentration.

It is also thought that the parallel water passageways 292 a-darrangement can lengthen the duty life of the ozone generating cells 210a-d as each may be operated at a lower power to achieve the desiredozone concentration than if fewer cells were used, or if the cells werearranged serially. And if the desired ozone concentration can beachieved by powering a subset of the ozone generating cells, the dutylife can be lengthened by alternating selectively powering only a subsetof the cells. The later may also be used to keep a generator 100 inservice that has suffer a degradation of failure of one of the ozonegenerating cells 210 a-d as the load can be picked up by the remainingfully functional cells without changes to the hardware or waterpassageway 290.

In the illustrative embodiment of manifold 140, a flow confluencechamber 144 is defined adjacent a second end 187 of the inner conduit180 and the inlet opening 206 of the outlet water passageway portion200. Within the flow confluence chamber 144, the waterflows from thefirst and second flow chambers 188 a-b, (separate parallel waterpassageway flows 292 a-d) are recombined again into a single waterflowthrough water passageway 290 in the outlet water passageway portion 200.

The ozonate water 52 through the outlet water passageways portion 200passes over the surfaces of sensors 240 a-b, for example oxidationreduction potential sensors as is disclosed above. By comparing ORP ofozonated water 52 as measured by sensors 240 a and 240 b, with theuntreated supply waterflow 23 as measured by sensor 230, the ozoneconcentration added to the water passageway 290 waterflow by the ozonegenerating cells 210 can be determined and ozone generating cells 210can be individually and collectively controlled by controller 512accordingly via power signals 260 provided by generator circuits 540 toachieve a desired ozone concentration. Alternatively, the inlet sensor230 could be eliminated and untreated supply waterflow 23 by sensor 240a with waterflow provided without energizing ozone generator cells 210to baseline ORP for later comparison with ORP of ozonated water 52measured by sensor 240 a when the ozone generator cells 210 areenergized. Yet another alternative is to for gall all ORP sensors 230and 240 a/b and to control the desired aqueous ozone concentration bysetting the current level know to produce the specific concentrationdesired for the configuration of the generator 100 for a given flowrate, for example, 410 milliamps, for 3 gph, to provide 0.8 ppm aqueousozone for the illustrative embodiment.

With brief reference to FIGS. 1A and 4, the inlet water passagewayportion 190 defines a connector mount 194 for coupling the inletconnector 120 to the manifold 140. For example, the connector mount 194may be a threaded coupling, compression coupling, adhesive joint, orother known standard or non-standard fluid coupling known in the art andsuitable for the selected type of the water inlet connector 120. Theoutlet water passageway portion 200 defines a corresponding connectormount 204 at outlet opening 202 for the water outlet connector 130.

An advantage of the generator 100 according to the present disclosure ishow compactly ozone generating cells 210 and sensors 230 and 240 can behoused and coupled with the water passageway 290 for ozonating thewaterflow. For example, by minimizing the length of the water passageway290, losses in ozone concentration is minimized. One aspect ofminimizing the length of the water passageway 290 is the coaxialarrangement of the central water passageway portion 150, including theparallel water passageways 292 a-d arrangement that the coaxialarrangement enables. Another aspect of minimizing the length is locatingmore than one ozone generating cell 210 along the same circumferentialarc 158 (defined by axes 156 a-b), as illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8C.For example, cell mount coupling 170 a is located at an angular axis 156a of +90 degrees along the circumferential arc 158, and cell mountcoupling 170 b is located at an angular axis 156 b of −90 degrees alongthe circumferential arc 158.

The various components of the manifold 140 may be constructed, forexample molded from rigid materials not susceptible to breakdown fromwater and ozone, for example, polysulfone (PSU), polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF), or 40% glass fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulphide (PPS). Inother embodiments, the manifold 140 may be comprised of a unitarystructure or a structure divided into portions or subcomponentsdifferently than is described herein for the illustrative embodiment andas may be desirable for manufacturing, assembly, operational orreconstruction.

The electrical connector 250 can be electrically coupled to or mounteddirectly to a circuit board 252. The circuit board 252 may include amemory device, for example for identification data for the generator 100and/or the associated hand sanitizer 300, or both, including for examplea serial and/or model number and/or compatibility information betweengenerators 100 and sanitizers 300, and pairing of a specific serialnumber generator with a specific serial number sanitizer. Additionally,the memory device 254 may enable data logging of usage, includinglifespan, error detection, and information concerning individualinstances of use by personnel. Lifespan data may include calibrationinformation, specifications, elapsed or remaining usage of individualozone generating cells 210 and/or the generator 100, including based on,for example, hours, gallons of water, ozone volume, total power, and thelike.

Data logging may include transmission of usage information throughelectrical connector 250 to controller 512 for storage on memory 518 orfor transmission to a personal computing device and/or remote server 80.Additionally, a security device 256 be included as a separate device, oras a feature of the memory device 254. Security device 256 may includeencryption, blockchain, or other secure feature to authenticate thesource of manufacturing, or reconstruction of the generator 100, or thepairing of generator 100 with a particular hand sanitizer 300 or otherconnected devices.

The electrical connector 250 and circuit board 252 an receive powersignals 260 for driving the ozone generating cells 210 a-d, powering thesensors 230 and 240 a-b, and for sending sensor data signals 262 fromthe sensors, and for sending and/or receiving security data signals 264and logging data signals 266. In one embodiment, circuit board 252includes a processor for providing control, security, data logging, orother functionality recited herein or otherwise known to a person ofordinary skill in the art for manufacturing, operating, repairing, andreconstructing the generator 100.

Referring to FIG. 15, reconstruction of an expended generator cartridge100 can include, for example, separating housing 102, removing andreplacing all degraded components, for example, generator cells 210and/or sensors 230 and 240, cleaning those and other remainingcomponents that can be reused, replacing remaining components asrequired, reassembly and closing housing 102, rewriting memory andsecurity devices 252, 254, 256, and calibration and/or testing, forexample, verifying that the reconstructed generator 100 provides thedesired aqueous ozone 25 concentration for water 23 provided at a givenflowrate with the expected current and voltages levels for each of thegenerator cells 120, including proper operation of any sensors 230 and240.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, plug-in coupling of the generator 100 intoa corresponding docking receptacle 350 of the hand sanitizer 300requires proper orientation to ensure that the electrical connector 250and the water inlet connector 120 and water outlet connector 130 are notreversed with the corresponding connectors 352, 354, and 356 of thedocking receptacle. One or both of generator 100 and the dockingreceptacle 350 can include orientation features that prevent coupling ifthe orientation is incorrect. For example, a guidance and orientationfeature 110 d (FIG. 15) at a first end of the housing 102, in thisexample a recess or a protrusion. Corresponding guidance and orientationfeatures 358 (FIG. 13) of the docketing receptacle 350 are interoperablewith orientation feature 110 d or operate in addition to preventplugging of the generator 100 into the docking receptacle 350 unlessoriented and/or positioned correctly to result in proper water andelectrical connections.

Alternatively, different size, shape, or other configuration of thewater inlet connector 120 and the water outlet connector 130 and theirassociated connectors 352 and 354 of the docking receptacle 350 can beused to prevent a ensure proper orientation and prevent a reverseconnection. Similarly, oriented features of the electrical connectors250 and 356 could alternative be used to ensure correct orientation.Housing 102 may also define recesses, for example orientation features110 d (FIG. 15) to additionally or alternative operate with features ofthe docking station 350 to prevent improper orientation and reviewconnections.

Referring to FIG. 13, to enable plugging and unplugging generator 100into the docking receptacle 350 using a singular axis motion, the waterconnectors 120 and 353 are fixed respectively in housing 102 and dockingreceptacle 350 to define a common longitudinal axis 353 that isdisplaced laterally and oriented parallel with a common longitudinalaxis 355 of the water connectors 130 and 354. A connection axis of theelectrical connectors 250 and 356 is also parallel to the longitudinalaxes 353 and 355.

Advantageously, each of the three pair of connectors, 120 and 352, 130and 354, and 250 and 356 are selected to enable pluggable engagementusing a singular axis of motion along longitudinal axes 353 and 355 toengage all of the corresponding connectors simultaneously and withoutfurther action other than moving the generator manually into positionalong the referenced parallel axes. For example, the generator can beheld and moved into position to connect the three connector pairswithout manually manipulating each or any of the connectors 120 and 352,130 and 354, and 250 and 356.

Additionally, and advantageously, a locking mechanism 116 of thegenerator 100 can operably cooperate with a locking mechanism 360 of thedocking receptacle 350 so that generator 100 auto-locks into positionrelative to the docking receptacle 350, ensuring correspondingconnectors remain engaged. Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B, a releasemechanism 362 a associated with the docking receptacle or a releasemechanism 118 associated with the generator 100 can be manually actuatedto disengage locking mechanisms 116 and 360. The connector pairs usedfor 120 and 352 and/or 130 and 354 can be selected to be auto-lockingfluid connectors as are known in the art.

For example, the water connector 352 may include locking clips thatsprings into position to engagingly interfere with an engagement feature126 of the water inlet connector 120 to fluidly couple the connectors352 and 120 until manually released by the release mechanism 362 a whichcan move the locking clips to a disengaged position, allowing thegenerator 100 to be pulled along axes 353 and 355, disengaging theconnector pairs and allowing the generator 100 to be removed from thedocking receptacle 350 and be replaced with a new or a reconstructedgenerator 100. For example, commercially available connectors such aspart numbers HFCD261235BSPP and HFCD16835 available from Colder ProductCompany of Saint Paul, Minn.

Because of the pressure provided by untreated water supplies 50 variessignificantly with local utility and building infrastructure, to ensuresufficient pressure and flowrate of untreated water required for correctoperation of the hand sanitizer 300, an untreated water holding tank 614can be included to receive an accumulate water from the untreated watersupply for subsequent sanitizing cycles, and the water pump 622 can beprovided with the sanitizer to deliver the desired flowrate from theholding tank to the generator 100 of about 3.0 gallons per minute at asupply pressure entering the generator 100 of about 60 psi, a typicalpressure available in municipal water supplies. An illustrative holdingtank 614 provides capacity for more than one full sanitizing cycle, forexample, at least two cycles, for example, at least about 1.8 gallons.An illustrative water pump 622, for example, a self-priming diaphragmpump, provides a capacity of up to 5.5 gallons per minute and maximumpressure of 70 psi. In an alternative embodiment, other compensatingflow rate restrictor(s) may be used to provide the desired flow rate andpressure. An example fan 560 provides 155 cubic feet per minute ofairflow. An example ozone filter 348 is an activated carbon filter sizedabout 15.5 cubic inches. Alternative or additional filter material forfilter ozone out of the exhaust airflow include catalysts such asmanganese dioxide and copper dioxide.

An embodiment of the present disclosure may also include additionaland/or alternative features and details as in known in the art foraqueous ozone systems, for example, as disclosed by US PatentPublication No. 2019/0001006 published Jan. 3, 2019, and herebyincorporated by reference herein.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in theforegoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described andthat all changes and modifications that come within the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined in the claims and summary are desired to beprotected.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LISTING  20a-b user's hands  22 lateral-medial axis 23 lateral-medial rotation  24 anterior-posterior axis  25anterior-posterior rotation  26 proximal-distal axis  30 wrist  32central  34 palm side  36 dorsal side  38 fingers  40 thumb/lateral  42medial (little finger)  44 forearm  50 untreated water supply  52ozonated water  70 WAN  80 server  82 personal computing device 100a-baqueous ozone generator 102 housing 104a-b housing side 105a-b componentsupports 116 locking mechanism 118 release mechanism 120 water inletconnector 122 opening 126 engagement feature 130 water outlet connector132 opening 136 engagement feature 140 manifold 142 flow separationchamber 144 flow confluence chamber 150 coaxial water passagewaysportion 152 baffle/divider 170a-d cell mount coupling 172a-d cellcoupling opening 176 annulus 180 inner conduit 181 first end 187 secondend 188a-b first/second flow chamber 190 inlet water passageways portion192 inlet opening 194 connector mount 196 outlet opening 197 outletcoupling 198 sensor coupling 200 outlet water passageways portion 202outlet opening 204 connector mount 206 inlet opening 207 inlet coupling208a-b sensor couplings 209b sensor alignment feature 210a-d ozonegenerating cells 212 generating portion 220a-d mount coupling 230 inletsensor 231 sensor element 232 coupling 240a-b outlet sensors 241a-bsensor elements 242a-b mounting coupling 250 electrical connector 252circuit board 254 memory device 256 security device 258 connection axis260 power signal 262 sensor data signal 264 security data signal 266logging data signal 290 water passageway 292a-d parallel waterpassageways 300 aqueous ozone hand sanitizer 310 sanitizing chamber/hood312 chamber upper half 314 chamber top 316 top contours 320 chamberlower half 322 chamber bottom 324 bottom contours 325 drain 326 leftside 328 right side 330 housing chassis 332 lower frame 334a lowerportion 334b counter top upper portion 336 cover/hood 338 cover frame340 left cover 342 right cover 344 top cover 346 fan screen 348 ozonefilter 350a-b docking receptacle/station 352 water supply outletconnector 353 supply longitudinal axis 354 ozonated water inletconnector 355 ozonated longitudinal axis 356 electrical connector 358orientation/alignment feature 360 locking mechanism 362 releasemechanism 370 front cover 372a-b openings 374 horizontal axis 376vertical axis 380 center 382 opening vertical span 384 openinghorizontal span 386 opening spacing 390 channel 392 channel verticalspan 394 rim 396 horizontal marking feature 398 vertical marking feature400 spray system 402a-b manifold 404a-b pressure sensor 406a-b flowmeter 410a-e left spray devices/delivery outlets 411 fluidic oscillator412 device longitudinal axis 413 rotational displacement angle 414aupper rotational displacement span 414b lower rotational displacementspan 415 rotational displacement angle 416a upper rotationaldisplacement span 416b lower rotational displacement span 417proximal-distal axis 418 anterior-posterior axis 419a-b spray fanangular displacement 420 left spray/application zone 421a-e device spraypattern 424 lateral-medial axis 430a-e right spray devices/deliveryoutlets 431 anterior-posterior datum plane 432 anterior-posteriorlocation 433a proximal-distal location datum plane 433b proximal-distalangular datum plane 434 proximal-distal location 435a lateral-mediallocation datum plane 435b laterial-medial angular datum plane 436laterial-medial location 440 right spray/applicaton zone 441lateral-medial zone center 442 anterior zone edge 443 zoneanterior-posterior span 444 zone anterior-posterior slope 446 proximalzone edge 447 zone lateral-medial span 448 zone lateral-medial slope 449zone proximal-distal span 500 control system 510 power supply 512controller 514 power regulator 516 processor 518 memory 520 WAN/LANtransceiver 522 onboard transceiver 524 pump controller 526 valvecontroller 528 sensor controller 540 generator controllers 542 driver544 power monitor 546 polarity swap 548 sensor circuit 560 fan 562gaseous ozone sensor 580 ID reader 582 presence sensor 584 userinterface 586 lighting 588 UV light 590 hand sensors 600 water supplysystem 610 supply valve 612 inlet filter 614 holding tank 616 waterlevel sensor 618 drain valve 620 temperature sensor 622 pump 624 flowmeter 626 pressure sensor 628 releasable coupling 700 sanitizing process

1. An aqueous ozone sanitizer, comprising: a sanitizing chamber fordispensing aqueous ozone onto a user's hands; a left plurality of spraydevices coupled to the sanitizing chamber configured to simultaneouslyirrigate a user's entire left hand positioned within a left spray zoneof the chamber, the left plurality of spray devices including at least afirst left-upper spray device located above the left spray zone and atleast a first left-lower spray device located below the left spray zone;a right plurality of spray devices coupled to the sanitizing chamberconfigured to simultaneously irrigate a user's entire right handpositioned within a right spray zone of the chamber, the right pluralityof spray devices including at least a first right-upper spray devicelocated above the right spray zone and at least a first right-lowerspray device located below the right spray zone; at least a first and asecond aqueous ozone generator coupled to the sanitizing chamber; andwherein: a first subset of the left plurality of spray devices and theright plurality of spray devices are fluidly couple to the first aqueousozone generator; a second subset of the left plurality of spray devicesand the right plurality of spray devices are fluidly couple to thesecond aqueous ozone generator; and whereby the position of the firstand the second aqueous ozone generators relative to the left and rightplurality of spray devices and a selection of the first subset and thesecond subset minimizes the distance between each of the left and theright plurality of spray devices and the one of the first and the secondaqueous ozone generators to which it is fluidly coupled, therebyminimizing a depletion of ozone concentration between the first and thesecond aqueous ozone generators and the left and the right plurality ofspray devices.
 2. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 1, wherein: thefirst aqueous ozone generator is positioned adjacent the left pluralityof spray devices; the first subset includes all the left plurality ofspray devices; the second aqueous ozone generator is positioned adjacentthe right plurality of spray devices; and the second subset includes allthe right plurality of spray devices.
 3. The aqueous ozone sanitizer ofclaim 1, wherein: the first aqueous ozone generator is positionedadjacent first left-upper spray device and the first right-upper spraydevice; the first subset includes the first left-upper spray device andthe first right-upper spray device; the second aqueous ozone generatoris located adjacent first left-lower spray device and the firstright-lower spray device; and and the second subset includes the firstleft-lower spray device and the first right-lower spray device.
 4. Theaqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 1, further comprising: a housing forthe sanitizing chamber defining at least one opening to receive theuser's left and right hands; and wherein the housing defines at leastone of a horizontal marking feature and a vertical marking feature foreach of the user's left and right hands, thereby providing a guide toinstruct an insertion point of the user's left and right hands throughthe at least one opening and into the corresponding ones of the left andthe right spray zones.
 5. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 1,further comprising: a housing for the sanitizing chamber defining a pairof openings to receive each of the user's left and right hands, each ofthe pair of openings defining an opening vertical span and an openinghorizontal span; and wherein the opening vertical span is greater thanthe opening horizontal span, thereby instructing and guiding the user'shands into a vertical orientation upon insertion through each of theopenings.
 6. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 5, wherein the ratioof the opening horizontal span to the opening vertical span is less than3:4.
 7. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 5, wherein the ratio of theopening horizontal span to the opening vertical span is about 2:3. 8.The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 5, wherein the ratio of the openinghorizontal span to the opening vertical span is less than 2:3.
 9. Theaqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 5, wherein the sanitizing chamberhousing further defines a channel connecting the pair of openings, thechannel defining a channel vertical span smaller than the openingvertical span.
 10. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 9, wherein theratio of the channel vertical span to the opening vertical span is lessthan 3:4.
 11. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 9, wherein the ratioof the channel vertical span to the opening vertical span is about 2:3.12. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 9, wherein the ratio of thechannel vertical span to the opening vertical span is less than 2:3. 13.The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 1, wherein the left plurality ofspray devices further includes a second left-upper spray device and asecond left-lower spray device; and a right plurality of spray devicesfurther includes a second right-upper spray device and a secondleft-lower spray device.
 14. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 13,wherein: the left spray zone is defined by a bounded area of irrigatedspace provided by the positions, orientations, and overlapping spraypatterns of the left plurality of spray devices; and the right sprayzone is defined by a bounded area of irrigated space provided bypositions, orientations, and overlapping spray patterns of the rightplurality of spray devices.
 15. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 14,wherein: the positions, orientations, and overlapping spray patterns ofthe left plurality of spray devices provide simultaneously irrigation ofthe entire left hand of the user when oriented with the user's left palmfacing the user's right hand; and the positions, orientations, andoverlapping spray patterns of the right plurality of spray devicesprovide simultaneously irrigation of the entire right hand of the userwhen oriented with the user's right palm facing the user's left hand.16. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 15, wherein each of the leftand right spray zone encompasses less than 320 cubic inches.
 17. Theaqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 15, wherein each of the left and rightspray zones span between about 3.5 to about 4.5 inches along ananterior-posterior axis, span about 8 inches along an lateral-medialaxis, and span about 10 inches along a proximal-distal axis.
 18. Theaqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 15, wherein each of the left and rightspray zones define a proximal-distal axis that is oriented to about 15degrees sloped downwardly in a direction extending from the pair ofopenings into the sanitizing chamber.
 19. The aqueous ozone sanitizer ofclaim 15, wherein each of the left and right spray zones define alateral-medial axis that is oriented to between about 10 degrees and 25degrees sloped outwardly in a direction extending from the bottom towardthe top of sanitizing chamber.
 20. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim13, wherein a displacement in angular alignment of a central axis ofspray between each of the first upper-right spray device and the secondupper-right spray device is between 30 degrees to 50 degrees about eachof an anterior-posterior axis and about a proximal-distal axis.
 21. Theaqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 13, wherein a difference in angularalignment of a central axis of spray between each of the firstlower-right spray device and the second lower-right spray device isbetween 0 degrees to 10 degrees about each of an anterior-posterior axisand about a proximal-distal axis.
 22. The aqueous ozone sanitizer ofclaim 13, wherein each of the left and each of the right plurality ofspray devices each define at least one fluidic oscillator providing aspray pattern for each spray device spanning about 16 degrees about afirst axis and spanning about 32 degrees about a second axis which isperpendicular to the first axis.
 23. An aqueous ozone sanitizer,comprising: a sanitizing chamber for dispensing aqueous ozone onto auser's hands; a left plurality of spray devices coupled to thesanitizing chamber and located and oriented to simultaneously irrigate auser's entire left hand positioned within a left spray zone of thechamber, the left plurality of spray devices; a right plurality of spraydevices coupled to the sanitizing chamber and located and oriented tosimultaneously irrigate a user's entire right hand positioned within aright spray zone of the chamber; a first aqueous ozone generator locatedadjacent to and fluidly coupled to the left plurality of spray devices;a second aqueous ozone generator located adjacent to and fluidly coupledto the right plurality of spray devices; and whereby the position of thefirst and the second aqueous ozone generators relative to the left andright plurality of spray devices minimizes a depletion of ozoneconcentration between the first and the second aqueous ozone generatorsand the left and the right plurality of spray devices.
 24. The aqueousozone sanitizer of claim 23, wherein: a first spray device of the leftplurality of spray devices is positioned laterally of the left hand andis further positioned and oriented to irrigate a dorsal side of ametacarpal region and phalangeal region of the left hand; a second spraydevice of the left plurality of spray devices is positioned laterally ofthe left hand and is further positioned and oriented to irrigate adorsal side of a phalangeal region of the left hand; a third spraydevice of the left plurality of spray devices is positioned medially ofthe left hand and is further positioned and oriented to irrigate ananterior side of the carpus region and the metacarpal region of the lefthand; and a fourth spray device of the left plurality of spray devicesis positioned medially of the left hand and is further positioned andoriented to irrigate an anterior side of the phalangeal region of theleft hand.
 25. The aqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 24, wherein thefourth spray device of the left plurality of spray devices is furtherposition and oriented to also irrigate an anterior side of themetacarpal region of the left hand.
 26. The aqueous ozone sanitizer ofclaim 24, wherein: the first spray device of the left plurality of spraydevices is further position and oriented to also irrigate an anteriorside of at least one of the metacarpal region and the phalangeal regionof the left hand; the third spray device of the left plurality of spraydevices is further position and oriented to also irrigate a dorsal sideof at least one of the carpus region and the metacarpal region of theleft hand; and the fourth spray device of the left plurality of spraydevices is further position and oriented to also irrigate a dorsal sideof at least one of the phalangeal region of the left hand.
 27. Theaqueous ozone sanitizer of claim 24, wherein the fourth spray device ofthe left plurality of spray devices is further position and oriented toalso irrigate the metacarpal region of the left hand.
 28. The aqueousozone sanitizer of claim 24, wherein the left plurality of spray devicesfurther comprises a fifth spray device positioned laterally of the lefthand and further positioned and oriented to irrigate an anterior side ofthe carpus region and the metacarpal region of the left hand.